Home Again Sneak Peak
by earthbender068
Summary: cause i heart you guys sooo much and feel so guilty! this is a sneak peak. please read the author's note first!


**VERY IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE! PLEASE READ!**

**VERY IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE! PLEASE READ!**

******VERY IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE! PLEASE READ!**

**VERY IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE! PLEASE READ!**

Hi everyone!

so i feel really bad that i haven't updated home again in so long, but i have been working on it. cause you guys are so incredibly awesome, i wanted to give you a snippet of the upcoming chapter. this is a VERY, VERY rough draft, but i hope each of you enjoy it.

i also have another reason for posting this. i needed to get everyone in the kibaxsakura pairing fandom to be made aware of something that i am pretty angry about.

apparently we have a **THIEF** in the kibaxsakura filter. member, yes member not author cause she **stole** the story she posted,** missblissthegreat has** **posted and stolen** a story called, the close encounter. ** this story is not hers. ** it's my friend's jinnyskeans. it's a sasukexsakura story.

when i say missblissthegreat(not) basically copied and pasted the story i mean it. kiba's last name was misspelled and in one part listed at uchiha. she never changed kiba's physical description, so in this story he has coal black hair and coal black eyes.

i know that we are writing with characters that don't belong to us. but these stories are what we slave over for hours. i have at least 15 notebooks of handwritten outlines and scenes just for home again. i've spent hours editing, and i would be as equally furious as jinnyskeans if this happened to me. jinnyskeans is a great author, just like many of you are around here and doesn't deserve to have her work ripped off.

i asked that none of you read/review the story by this missblissthegreat, but support the original author jinnyskeans. for many of you have posted stories here, i know that you understand why i ask this of you. none of us may be professional writers, but we do this because we have a story we want to share. an urge, if you can call it, then to have someone take it from you just to receive glory that doesn't belong to them. i can see why so many author's want to leave the site.

come on guys, us kiba and skarua shippers are a lot better than that. we don't need to stoop to stealing. represent us well among the other authors and couples around here.

please, let me know that you've read this author's note. it would make me feel a lot better. this is just a little of what i can do to help her and keep others from giving her praise that she doesn't deserve. i'm not doing this to inflate my ego with reviews. i'm doing this because i want each of my readers to support people that have earned it.

i hope you each understand why i'm doing this.

thank you so much for all your love and support. i truly enjoy getting messages from each of you!

* * *

**Sneak Peak Chapter 50-Home Again.**

Frantically searching her surroundings, Sakura found the edge of the river and instincts propelled her to dry land. Coughing out excess water, she pulled her body onto the shore. Her arms were shaky and the small rocks and twigs in the dry land cut into her skin. Lying on the dirt she continued to cough until she rolled onto her side and emptied the contents of her stomach. Flat on her back, she started to gain control of her breathing and brushed the hair from her eyes.

Moments later, Sakura pushed herself into a sitting position to take in her surroundings. Turning left and right she look to the body of water she'd just exited. The length of the river went for as far as she could see. A roaring sound drowned out any other noise in the area. There was a forest on each of side of the river, with a thick canopy of trees.

She looked down at the soaked clothing that she wore. What was once a kimino was in tatters and the color faded. The material fell off her right shoulder, which she pulled up to cover herself. Her body ached, her head especially.

"Where am I?" Sakura spoke outloud.

Her mind could not come up with an amount of time that she had been in the water since she had gained consciousness there. Sakura forced herself off the ground, and with shaky legs she walked over to a fallen tree to sit down.

"Where, am I?" She spoke once more. Nothing in the area looked familiar to anything in her mind. Slowly her senses came back to her. She began to think of what was familiar to her. Nothing. Her mind was blank. There was nothing there.

Panic began to overtake her as she could not remember anything about herself before she became conscious in the water. The pain in her head sharpened and caused her to double over. Her stomach tightened again, but without any food inside, the dry heaves took over.

Trying to calm herself Sakura moved toward the water and splashed water on her face. Slowly breathing, her body eased. Sakura closed her eyes and sat back on the ground.

"I guess I should start moving somewhere," she decided. Standing, she followed current of the river.

Two hours later, she was tired, hungry, and uncomfortable in the fabric that was still tight on her body. Resting on a fallen tree, started to ponder on her empty stomach. Her eyes scanned the area trying to figure out what she would be able to eat. A voice in the back of her mind began to speak to her. She walked toward the forest listening to the the part of her mind that guided her. Berries in hand, the dark haired girl with red eyes looked into the river trying to ease into recalling her memory.

"Okay, think. Calm down and think." She thought slowly. "You have to be somebody. Who are you?"

Examining her legs and arms, she could see a variety of nicks and cuts that were faded on her skin. Curious, she lifted the dress higher to see if there were more of the same and gasped at the smaller scars that were there.

"What happened to me?" She sighed. Sakura's eyes squeezed tight, and she forced her mind to focus on any piece of information that would give her a clue of her identity.

The sun started to set in the sky. A brief moment of panic filled her at what she should do next, and she rose to move again. When the sun finally gave way to night, the voice in her head told her to get into the forest area and climb up the first sturdy tree she saw.

She stood for several moments doubting her ability to climb that high, but the howl of an animal nearby provided the encouragement she needed. On a large limb, she felt secure enough to sit, but not to sleep. The sash that was around her waist, she improvised to tie herself to the tree to keep from falling. Rest danced around her the entire night. The sound of a bell tingling, haunted her sleep and red and black were the only images she could see.

Birds chirping pulled her away from her the restless sleep that she had. The voice in her mind telling her to move. The forest was canopied by tall trees that provided shade, but kept her from feeling warm. It also didn't give her an idea of where she headed or what time of day it was.

The voice that continued to nag her in the back of her head screamed directions and suggestions of how she should move or what plants she should avoid. At the moment it was shouting for her to find shelter.

Traveling through the terrain, Sakura stumbled and slipped. The sandals and dress making it nearly impossible to maneuver over and under the vines and trees. As the trees began to get more dense, she swore at her rough patch of luck.

Deciding to take a break, she pulled herself onto a fallen tree. Her eyes closed tightly, and she tried to piece together who she was, and how she was to get home, wherever that was.

Imagines flashed through her head. Men with dark blue hair and eyes to match. They were cruel and often hit her. The memories also held two girls, one with a light shade of blue hair, and the other with blonde hair. Bursts of mental pictures flooded her of mind of traveling, camping, other men, the sound of bells, and red clouds. A pain shot through her temple. Sakura bent forward the heels of her hand rubbing her eyes, trying to relieve the pain in her head.

"Okay, I guess that's enough of that." Sakura huffed and looked toward the canopy of leaves. "What the hell am I going to do?"

"Keep moving," the voice in her head pushed.

Deciding it was easier to comply than argue, she slid from the fallen tree and continued to walk.

Three days later, the forest thinned out, and she could the see the edge of a farm. Dropping back to the cover of the trees, she walked along the edge of the property to observe.

Throughout the day, a young family worked the rows of vegetables. The sun began to set, and the scent of a lunch being cooked on an outdoor grill, reminded Sakura how empty her stomach was. Her mind told her to have patience, and she agreed.

With a bit of luck on her side, the father began to lead his wife and three children down the dirt road away from the home. The wife held a basket that Sakura noticed held food. The children's voices speaking excitedly of the visit they were making to the neighboring family.

Sakura wasted no time at the opportunity that was presented. Quickly, she entered the home, and grabbed food from the fridge, not caring it was cold, and scarfed it down. The next item on her agenda was clothing. The kimono was dirty, ripped, and not at all conducive for traveling. From her observations the wife was a little taller than Sakura, but she was smart enough not to look a gift horse in the mouth. Compared to the mess of fabric barely covering her, she would take a pair of too long pants happily.

Walking down the hall, she located the married couple's bedroom. Thankful the family were farmers, the wife had comfortable looking pants and shirts, and sandals that would be best for being on the run. Calculating the family would be gone at least an hour, she took the chance of jumping into the shower and ridding her body of the dirt that had clung to her for the past days.

Refreshed, Sakura changed quickly. She located a bag that she could stuff a change of clothes into, and a blanket then went back to the kitchen for a few supplies.

A water bottle, knife, matches, and some food. Rummaging through the kitchen drawers, she found a pen and scrap paper. A quick note of thanks, yet regret for stealing was written and left for the family. Standing over the paper, she tried to push her mind to write her name. Surely if she were smart enough to write a note, she had been taught to write her name or her address. A petite hand trembled as it moved downward creating the letter, 'u.' Continuing to push herself, the second letter, 'z.' Pleased with her progress, Sakura tightened her grip on the pen getting another 'u.'. A flash of blonde hair found it's way to the front of her mind's eye, and dark wall presented itself. The feeling of being close to a breakthrough excited and frustrated her.

"Damn it," she swore, slamming her hand onto the counter. "Just a few more letters."

Determined eyes pressed together, while she focused her energy into pushing past the darkness, only to be rewarded by the familiar pain seering throughout her head and dropping her to her knees.

Small fists hit her eyes in defeat. Rising to her feet, she splashed water on her face, to remove the sweat and tears. Saura took one moment to clear her mind and rid it of the pain brought on trying to remember who she was.

Her instincts told her to grab the small tent she saw leaning aganist the hallway toward the laundry room, and Sakura slipped out the way she entered.

Days of travel led the young woman to the outskirts of another small farming village. She watched closely while the elderly couple toiled the ground. Unlike the other family, this couple were alone in their labor. The garden on a much smaller scale, Sakura assumed they only used it to feed themselves and possibly a small stand in the local village market.

Even without knowing who she was, throughout her travels, Sakura had learned several pieces of information concerning herself. She found that she was very self reliant. The inner voice she had started arguing with, was actually quite helpful. From knowing which berries to eat or where to put up the tent for the evening, her inner voice was always right. Instead of going against it, she started to listen. Her memory was no where close to being restored, but she was surviving. The voice kept the hunger and tiredness at bay just long enough for her to move from one spot to the next. A life that was frustrating. She refused to let herself dwell on what she had lost, or thought she lost. Though she knew realistically, she couldn't continue to live her life this way. Soon she would need to reach out to someone to find out where she belong, and if there was anyone who missed her.

The sun was setting slowly, and she had planned to sleep in the couple's barn. The temperature was dropping the further she had traveled, and being indoors for the night was better than sleeping in the forest. In the barn, the smell of the animals hit her nose hard. Climbing to the top of the loft, she dropped her back and pulled out her blanket. There was a safety in the barn that she didn't feel when she slept in the woods. Wind howled and banged on the sides of the barn, but she felt safe in her makeshift bed. Sleep took her body quickly.

Again her dreams were plagued with red clouds and the jingling of the bells. Every morning she woke in a panic, fear of what the red clouds would bring. The next morning was no exception. Her breath was heavy and her eyes wide. The need to flee from the spot took over, and Sakura jumped gathering her bag, and ran from the barn to the cover of the forest.

For her best count of the number of days and nights she had been traveling, it had been nearly a month when she woke in the river. She was no where closer to finding out who she was. In fact, she had stopped trying. Each time Sakura tried to go past the darkness that blocked her memories, she was become physically ill.

The nightmares would be more intense also. Not only would there be red clouds and constant sound of bells, but a man with red hair, and an emotionless face stood in front of her. Puppets and weapons launched at what she could only assume was her, then the scene would dissolve into a set of eyes shifting from coal black, to a swirling red. She would land in front of a giant gray sanke with purple eyes. The snake looked at her as if it understood her fear, and slowly moved toward her. It's tongue darting to her side, nipping at her stomach. Eventually the snake would wrap around her and begin to digest her.

Sakura would always wake in a cold sweat and tears, with a fear that actually caused her to shake.

Immediately, she would begin to pack her tent and bag, then get on the move again. The dream, that dream filled her with a terror that made her run. What kind of person was she to have such dreams or were they actual memories? Sakura wondered what she did in her life before she emerged from the river. The thoughts of her previous life she concluded was not worth the nightmares or the physical pain, so she stopped trying to remember.

Though, the young woman was still sad at not knowing who she was. She frowned, wondering if there was someone who missed her. Was there someone who was ot there looking for her? Did she have a home, a husband, or children? If so, how was she separated from them? The worse feeling was that there could be no one who missed her, noot anyone looking for her, or no home to return to. She had a little insight in who she was. Very little, but the letters _uzu_, gave her something. It was a start.

A beginning that she couldn't do very much with. She was too scared to approach any of the villages she ran parallel to. The fear of someone chasing her led her to tuck back in the shadows of the forest.

Sakura shivered when she woke. Opening her tent flap, she could see the white frost covering the ground. The voice in her head warned her several days earlier of the change in the weather. Continuing with sneaking into farmer's homes as she needed supplies, she managed to get her hands on a sleeping bag and a few more clothes.

Sighing, she decided to pack up and search for warmer territory, but where? It was always the question that nagged her. Where did she belong? As much as she tried to ignore it, it would not cease. Days turned into weeks, and the snow became a constant. The white snow that blinded her her vision accompanied the ringing of bells in her head.

She knew the bell had to be significant in her life, but she was unable to piece together why. The mere process of it all began to consume her. In the middle of the night she would spring awake to the tinkling effect and terror causing her body to shake. Sakura could not remember anything concerning her past, but of one thing she was sure she feared that sound.

In her dreams she pictured a swirl of red and black, with a multitude of stiff, wooden, jointed, arms reaching and grabbing for her. None of the bodies they were attached to belonged to a living human being, with unemotional expressions and dead, dead, eyes. Needles being hurled toward her body, as it was pushed and pulled by some unseen force. The darkness of what she could only imagine to be a cave set the scene of her dreams.

Though in the obscurity, with an obvious enemy attacking her, she did not feel alone. Someone else was there to hold her sanity in the nightmare she faced each time she closed her eyes. Sakura could feel the other's presence, even through the attacks that were continuously launched upon her. If the lost woman focused hard enough she could almost hear her name being called by her ally. Just when she thought she could make out the sound, the dream would shift, and instead of the onslaught of hands and bodies cast toward her, there would be a large snake winding it's way in an attempt to consume her, and throughout it all the insistent chime of the bells would hum.

She felt on the brink of her thinly held sanity. The feeling set into a state of paranoia. Sakura was constantly on the move. Sometimes changing a campsite two or three times in a day. Nights would pass with the woman staying awake through the night. The pattern became a way of life causing her nights and days to blend into on blur.

The supplies she pilfered in her travels began to run low. She'd managed to get in and out of a home before a young couple returned. Unable to get food, she held a few dollars in her hand and decided to visit the town to actually purchase the few things she needed for her travel.

Overnight she debated what time of day she should venture into the town. The middle of the day would offer crowded shops where she could blend in, but the evening would make it easier to hide under her hood and not be recognized so easily. The instincts that kicked in at a time like this made her wonder how she knew this things. How was she able to find water, or how did she know which berries to avoid and which to eat. She couldn't explain what gave her the ability to be so careful and silent when breaking into a home and which items she just knew she needed to survive. What type of life did she lead before that gave her such abilities?

Her mind was in an uninterrupted cycle of trying to figure out who she was and the terror of where the bells and dreams stemmed from. There were moments when she found herself on the edge of a cliff overlooking the river tempted to just fall and end it everything that was crashing around her. How much peace could she find by just slipping over the edge?

Her foot lifted from the ground and dangled. The weight of her body pushed forward causing her balance to shift. Green eyes closed, and Sakura released a breath of contentment with her decision. The rush of the water below the cliff drown the sound of the bells from her mind. Letting go, she felt her body tumble forward. Until a voice shouted from the inner depth of her mind, NO! The voice that had guided her throughout her day after day misery and fear. It anchored her body to the ground, preventing her from falling. Screaming into the nothingness of the forest, Sakura dropped to her knees. Frustration came through when she could not end her own agony.

Wiping away angry tears, Sakura stood and moved toward the village to replenish her food supply. Gathering her bags, she pulled the hood over her head. The frigid weather warranted the cloak and hood.

Her eyes darted quickly from villager to villager while walking through the main vendor's road. Not maintaining eye contact with anyone long enough to be remembered, she paid for several small items. The scent of cooked meat made her stomach growl loud enough to make the man beside her turn curiously. Counting her meager change, she debated whether she could afford the luxury of the item. If the coins in her hand meant something of monetary value to her previously, she did not know. She was at the mercy of the vendors not to cheat her since she was unable to recall the value of each bill or coin.

She decided to chance it after another nudge from her stomach and walked into the small restaurant. Her bag slipped from her shoulder to the small seat beside her at the table. The flap of cloth pulled back, and Sakura could feel the color drain from her face. A flash of black cloth with a red patterned design clothed the woman with blue hair entering the eatery. What caused Sakura's urge to flee was the small bell on bamboo hat of her male companion. Piercings covered his face, but that was all Sakura was able to see. Her stomach knotted, and the food she'd just consumed threatened to make another appearance. Every nerve in her body told her run, but she was too panicked to so much as breath hard and draw attention to herself. A feeling of foreboding covered her, and she could almost see the power the pair embodied.

A feeling of light headedness started to crawl over her, and she could no longer resist. The male's head turned in her direction. Her green eyes briefly met his swirling pupils. Her breath caught in her throat, and she could feel some unknown force pushing it's way toward her. Snatching her bag up quickly, she moved with a speed she didn't know she had, and shoved through the crowd that began to gather when the rain came down in sheets with the snow mixture.

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so, leave me a short review to let me know what you think. i know it's not perfect cause i haven't edited it at all. i really wanted to have the story done at the end of september, but i failed. :( i am working on getting it up asap. i have a lot of other stories i want to post.

also, i will try to keep this active on the kibaxsakura filter until this missblissthegreatfruad takes down the story she stole. i hope to receive each your support for this too.

**daisy! the dirty south's got philly's back! **

much love to you tomking. :)

terri


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